Project Insulation - Simple DIY Guide

To keep your home toasty warm this winter, and to save you a few bob on heating bills, check out

DIY Donny’s simple guide to insulating your loft.

LOFTY IDEAS

If insulating your loft is a project you’ve never put high up on your list, think again. Studies have shown that if you haven’t got insulation, you can lose a quarter of your heat through the roof. That’s money just floating up to the clouds! Make it a priority this winter. It might seem like a daunting task, but any one can give it a go. I’m not going to lie; the major task is clearing out all the junk you’ve been hiding up there for years. The Christmas tree, old suitcases and those dusty golf clubs you haven’t used since the kids came along... But I promise you, it’ll be worth it.

ROLL WITH IT

First, insulation. The basic recommendation is 270mm thick, which is usually rolled out between 600mm joist centres, or 450mm in older properties. This can be doubled up by rolling an addition layer of insulation in the opposite direction to the joist. I’d highly recommend this to keep the

maximum amount of heat in – and with the current 4 for 3 deal on insulation rolls at Wickes,

you’d be crazy not to. Here’s the crucial thing you need to remember. Insulation works a bit

like a duvet cover on your bed; when it’s all fluffed out, it traps in the warmth and

prevents it from leaving. So if your insulation gets squashed, it loses its thermal qualities.

SAVVY STORAGE

With all your junk... sorry, I mean ‘treasured belongings’, scattered on your landing, you face

a dilemma. Where’s it going to go? It can’t go on top of the insulation or it will render it useless.

The answer is this: consider fitting loft legs on top of the insulation. For £12.99 you can get a

pack of 12 loft legs which allow you to build up a new flooring area for storage, without

compromising its performance. You fit the loft legs to the existing joist. It’s best done using

Wickes Ultra Gold Screws 4.0x30mm which are £12.88 for a pack of 1,000. The reason I like

these screws is because they drive through the loft leg with ease.

BOARD ROOM

With the loft legs in place, you use Wickes loft boards, to start building a storage platform above

the insulation. Remember you don’t need to do the full loft, just do an area big enough for your

stuff. Don’t be afraid to have a go. Wickes has everything you need, along with ‘how-to’ guides to give you that added confidence to try this money-saving project. What